Romeo and Juliet Wherefore art thou, Noin?
by Leonharte
Summary: Romeo and Juliet, GW style. Warning, shoujoai. Between Noin and Relena. Lots of people die! Just, RnR, check it out. [DISCONTINUED]
1. Introduction

FOREWORD: I've decided to do 'Romeo and Juliet' Shakespear's classic tragedy, using GW characters. As always, Noin and Relena will play the main chars, the star-crossed lovers of the two households.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own GW or RNJ.

Two households, both alike in dignity,

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,

From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,

Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

From forth the fatal loins of these two foes

A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;

Whose misadventured piteous overthrows

Do with their death bury their parents' strife.

The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,

And the continuance of their parents' rage,

Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,

Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;

The which if you with patient ears attend,

What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

CHARACTERS:

CAPULETS:

Juliet - Relena

Tybalt - Zechs

Capulet - Une

Lady Capulet - Dorothy

Nurse - Sally

Peter - Wufei

Sampson - Lt Alex

Gregory - Lt Kuraisuto

MONTAGUES:

Romeo - Noin

Benvolio - Quatre

Balthasar - Catherine

Montague - Howard

Lady Montague - Hilde

Abraham - Lt Trant

OTHERS:

Mercutio - Duo

Friar Lawrence - Trowa

Paris - Heero

Escalus Prince - Treize

Friar John - Dermail

Apothecary - Quinze

Copyright Leonharte © 2004.


	2. Act 1 Scene 1

_ACT 1 SCENE 1_

Two Capulet Lieutenants meet with two Montague soldiers on the streets of Verona.

"Kuraisuto, o' my word, we'll not carry coals," Alex called from her suit.

"No, for then we should be colliers," Kurai answered over the radio with a laugh.

"I mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw," Alex replied.

"Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o' the collar," Kurai contined.

"I strike quickly, being moved," Alex replied, angry at her companion. Kurai struck back.

"But thou art not quickly moved to strike,"

"A dog of the house of Montague moves me!" Alex cried with a smile.

"To move is to stir; and to be valiant is to stand. Therefore, if thou art moved, thou run'st away," Kurai laughed.

"A dog of that house shall move me to stand. I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's," Alex swung the suit's beam.

"That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall," Kurai laughed again at her friend's arrogance.

"True; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall. Therefore I will push Montague's men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall," Alex yelled back.

"The quarrel is between our masters and us their men," Kurai reminded her.

"'Tis all one," Alex shrugged. "I will show myself a tyrant. When I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids, and cut off their heads,"

"The heads of the maids?" Kurai gasped in fake shock. Alex nodded.

"Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads; take it in what sense thou wilt,"

"They must take it in sense that feel it," Kurai said.

"Me they shall feel while I am able to stand, and 'tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh," Alex joked again.

"'Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor John," Kurai looks behind her, and yells, "Draw thy tool! Here comes two of the house of the Montagues!"

"My naked weapon is out. Quarrel, I will back thee," Alex flashes her beam sword.

"How! Turn thy back and run?" Kurai laughed at her.

"Fear me not!" Alex yelled.

"No, marry, I fear thee!" Kurai shot back, beam sword drawn.

"Let us take the law of our sides, let them begin," Alex warned Kurai.

"I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list," Kurai agreed.

"Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them, which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it," Alex stepped forward, the mobile suit raised a finger at the passing mobile suits of the Montagues.

Catherine and Lt Trant, of the Montague company, stop and turn to the Capulet servants.

"Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?" Trant asked, trying to keep calm.

"I do bite my thumb, sir," answered Alex, supressing rage.

"Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?" Trant asked again, slight anger showing in his voice.

"Is the law of our side, if I say 'ay'?" Alex asked Kuraisuto.

"No," came the reply.

"No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir," Alex yelled at Trant.

"Do you quarrel, sir?" Kurai asked, stepping forward.

"Quarrel sir! no, sir," Trant answered.

"If you do, sir, I am for you. I serve as good a man as you," Alex said.

"No better," Trant replied.

"Well, sir," Alex began.

"Say 'better,' here comes one of my master's kinsmen," Kurai whispered.

"Yes, better, sir," Alex nodded.

"You lie," Trant yelled.

"Draw, if you be men. Kurai, remember thy swashing blow!" Alex yelled.

The four suits all draw weapons and fight. Alex took Trant and Kurai faced off with Catherine, each matching the other blow for blow. The Sandrock gundam landed nearby, and rushed in.

"Part, fools! Put up your swords, you know not what you do," Quatre cried, using his scythes to knock away the beams of the four mobile suits. Another suit lands, the elusive Tallgeese.

"What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? Turn thee, Quatre, look upon thy death," Zechs yelled at Quatre, pinky-red beam sword ready to fight.

"I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword, or manage it to part these men with me," Quatre protested.

"What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee. Have at thee, coward!" Zechs lunged at Quatre, who parried Zechs thrust and jumped back. Citizens boarded mobile suits, desperately trying to part the quarreling Gundams.

"Clubs, bills, and partisans! Strike! Beat them down! Down with the Capulets! Down with the Montagues!" they cried, drawing weapons and bearing shields.

Une Capulet and Lady Dorothy Capulet pulled up on an adjacent street in a black limo, the license plate being 'Cap 001.'

"What noise is this? Give me my mobile suit, ho!" Une cried, jumping out and flipping open her cell, ready to call for a mobile suit.

"A crutch, a crutch!" Dorothy laughed. "Why call you for a suit?"

"My suit, I say!" Une said, dialing. "Old Montague is come, and flourishes his blade in spite of me!"

Howard Montague and Lady Hilde Montague pull up facing the the Capulet's limo. The license plate read 'Mon 001,' and Howard and Hilde both jump out. Hilde immediately grabs onto Howard's arm.

"Thou villain Capulet,--Hold me not, let me go," Howard snarls.

"Thou shalt not stir a foot to seek a foe," Hilde argues, holding him back.

Trieze enters in Epyon, flanked by mobile dolls.

"Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, profaners of this neighbour-stained steel,-- Will they not hear?" Trieze muttered to himself

"What, ho! you men, you beasts, that quench the fire of your pernicious rage with purple fountains issuing from your veins, on pain of torture, from those bloody hands throw your mistemper'd weapons to the ground, and hear the sentence of your moved prince." Trieze yelled.

"Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, by thee, old Capulet, and Montague, have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets, and made Verona's ancient citizens cast by their grave beseeming ornaments, to wield old partisans, in hands as old, canker'd with peace, to part your canker'd hate: if ever you disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace," he stopped for breath, then continued.

"For this time, all the rest depart away. You Une, shall go along with me. And, Howard, come you this afternoon, to know our further pleasure in this case, to old Free-town, our common judgment-place. Once more, on pain of death, all men depart," Treize finished, then left with the mobile dolls. The servants, Capulets, and citizens depart, leaving the Montagues, Quatre in his Sandrock, and Howard and Hilde by the Mon 001.

"Who set this ancient quarrel new abroach? Speak, nephew, were you by when it began?" Howard asked.

"Here were the servants of your adversary, and yours, close fighting ere I did approach. I drew to part them, in the instant came the fiery Zechs, with his sword prepared, which, as he breathed defiance to my ears, he swung about his head and cut the winds, who nothing hurt withal hiss'd him in scorn," Quatre stopped, then continued.

"While we were interchanging thrusts and blows, came more and more and fought on part and part, till the prince came, who parted either part," Quatre explained.

"O, where is Noin? Saw you her to-day? Right glad I am she was not at this fray," Hilde sighed.

"Madam, an hour before the worshipp'd sun peer'd forth the golden window of the east, a troubled mind drave me to walk abroad, where, underneath the grove of sycamore that westward rooteth from the city's side, so early walking did I see your daughter. Towards her I made, but she was ware of me, and stole into the covert of the wood. I, measuring her affections by my own, that most are busied when they're most alone, pursued my humour not pursuing hers, and gladly shunn'd who gladly fled from me," Quatre offered the information to console the parents of Noin.

"Many a morning hath she there been seen, with tears augmenting the fresh morning dew. Adding to clouds more clouds with her deep sighs. But all so soon as the all-cheering sun should in the furthest east begin to draw the shady curtains from Aurora's bed, away from the light steals home my heavy daughter, and private in her chamber pens herself, shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out and makes herself an artificial night. Black and portentous must this humour prove, unless good counsel may the cause remove," Howard lamented.

"My noble uncle, do you know the cause?" Quatre asked, full of concern for his cousin.

"I neither know it nor can learn of her," Howard sighed, disappointed.

"Have you importuned her by any means?" Quatre pressed.

"Both by myself and many other friends. But she, her own affections' counsellor, is to herself--I will not say how true-- But to herself so secret and so close, so far from sounding and discovery, as is the bud bit with an envious worm, ere she can spread her sweet leaves to the air, or dedicate her beauty to the sun. Could we but learn from whence her sorrows grow. We would as willingly give cure as know," Howard answered. Quatre looked up, and saw Noin strolling towards them on the sidewalk, hands in pockets, looking downcast.

"See, where she comes. So please you, step aside. I'll know her grievance, or be much denied," Quatre told Howard.

"I would thou wert so happy by thy stay, to hear true shrift. Come, madam, let's away," Howard opened the door for Hilde, then got in himself. They left, as Quatre set Sandrock on Autopilot to the Montague hangar, and jumped out to meet Noin.

"Good-morrow, cousin," Quatre said cheerfully.

"Is the day so young?" Noin asked with a sigh.

"But new struck nine,"

"Ay me! Sad hours seem long. Was that my father that went hence so fast?"

"It was. What sadness lengthens Noin's hours?"

"Not having that, which, having, makes them short,"

"In love?" Quatre asked kindly.

"Out," Noin began.

"Of love?" now Quatre was confused.

"Out of favour, where I am in love," Noin answered.

"Alas, that love, so gentle in his view, should be so tyrannous and rough in proof!" Quatre said with a little sarcasm, not truely understanding Noin's greif.

"Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, should, without eyes, see pathways to his will! Where shall we dine? O me! What fray was here? Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. Here's much to do with hate, but more with love," Noin took a breath.  
"Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate! O any thing, of nothing first create! O heavy lightness! Serious vanity! Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms! Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health! Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! This love feel I, that feel no love in this. Dost thou not laugh?" Noin asked Quatre.

"No, coz, I rather weep," Quatre said with a grin.

"Good heart, at what?"

"At thy good heart's oppression," Quatre answered her, stifling a laugh.

"Why, such is love's transgression. Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast, which thou wilt propagate, to have it prest with more of thine. This love that thou hast shown doth add more grief to too much of mine own. Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs, being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes, being vex'd a sea nourish'd with lovers' tears. What is it else? A madness most discreet, a choking gall and a preserving sweet. Farewell, my coz," Noin said, turning away with a wave.

"Soft! I will go along. And if you leave me so, you do me wrong," Quatre stepped up beside her.

"Tut, I have lost myself; I am not here. This is not Romeo, he's some other where," Noin told him.

"Tell me in sadness, who is that you love?" Quatre asked.

"What, shall I groan and tell thee?" Noin turned her head away slightly.

"Groan! why, no. But sadly tell me who," Quatre asked again.

"Bid a sick woman in sadness make her will. Ah, word ill urged to one that is so ill! In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman," Noin told him gently. Quatre suppressed his knowing smile, and said, "I aim'd so near, when I supposed you loved,"

"A right good mark-man!" Noin said, suprised at his guess. "And she's fair I love,"

"A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit," Quatre advised.

"Well, in that hit you miss. She'll not be hit with Cupid's arrow, she hath Dian's wit. And, in strong proof of chastity well arm'd, from love's weak childish bow she lives unharm'd. She will not stay the siege of loving terms, nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes, nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold. O, she is rich in beauty, only poor, that when she dies with beauty dies her store,"

"Ah so, good Noin, hath she?" Quatre asked. 

"She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste, for beauty starved with her severity cuts beauty off from all posterity. She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair, to merit bliss by making me despair. She hath forsworn to love, and in that vow do I live dead that live to tell it now," Noin answered.

"Be ruled by me, forget to think of her," offered Quatre.

"O, teach me how I should forget to think," Noin shot at him.

"By giving liberty unto thine eyes, examine other beauties," Quatre advised. Noin sighed.

"'Tis the way to call hers exquisite, in question more. These happy masks that kiss fair ladies' brows being black put us in mind they hide the fair, he that is strucken blind cannot forget the precious treasure of his eyesight lost. Show me a mistress that is passing fair, what doth her beauty serve, but as a note where I may read who pass'd that passing fair? Farewell! Thou canst not teach me to forget,"

"I'll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt," Quatre whispered to himself, hurrying after Noin.

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Author's Notes

Well, that's the first Scene. Shakepeare's probably rolling in the grave right now. I've put a star where I've added a line, as the script I downloaded was missing Benvolio's line there. This is set on Earth, and everyone has a mobile suit of some description. I believe, going on couples I enjoy, I've selected characters that suit most descriptions.

Please ignore spelling mistakes, I'm using Word 98 without Spell Check, I've checked it all over best I could, if you find a mistake, email me at 

Copyright Leonharte © 2004


	3. Act 1 Scene 2

**ACT 1 SCENE 2**

**Une, Heero and a servant are at the Capulet mansion to discuss business and other things.**

"But Howard is bound as well as I, in penalty alike, and 'tis not hard, I think, for people so old as we to keep the peace," Une informed Heero.

"Of honourable reckoning are you both, and pity 'tis you lived at odds so long. But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?" Heero pressed.

"But saying o'er what I have said before," Une started. "My child is yet a stranger in the world, she hath not seen the change of fourteen years, let two more summers wither in their pride, ere we may think her ripe to be a bride,"

"Younger than she are happy mothers made," Heero lightly argued.

"And too soon marr'd are those so early made. The earth hath swallow'd all my hopes but she, she is the hopeful lady of my earth. But woo her, gentle Heero, get her heart, my will to her consent is but a part. An she agree, within her scope of choice lies my consent and fair according voice. This night I hold an old accustom'd feast, whereto I have invited many a guest, such as I love, and you, among the store, one more, most welcome, makes my number more," Une told him, taking a sip of wine.  
"At my poor house look to behold this night earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light. Such comfort as do lusty young men feel when well-apparell'd April on the heel of limping winter treads, even such delight among fresh female buds shall you this night inherit at my house, hear all, all see, and like her most whose merit most shall be. Which on more view, of many mine being one may stand in number, though in reckoning none, Come, go with me," Une walked towards the door. She handed a paper to the servant standing there.

"Go, sirrah, trudge about through fair Verona. Find those persons out whose names are written there, and to them say, my house and welcome on their pleasure stay," Une told the servant, who bowed and left. Une and Heero left him to his errand.

"Find them out whose names are written here! It is written, that the shoemaker should meddle with his yard, and the tailor with his last, the fisher with his pencil, and the painter with his nets, but I am sent to find those persons whose names are here writ, and can never find what names the writing person hath here writ. I must to the learned," the servant sighed. "In good time,"

In the streets of Verona, Noin and Quatre are talking.

"Tut, man, one fire burns out another's burning, one pain is lessen'd by another's anguish, turn giddy, and be holp by backward turning, one desperate grief cures with another's languish. Take thou some new infection to thy eye, and the rank poison of the old will die," Quatre said.

"Your plaintain-leaf is excellent for that," Noin gave a brief smile.

"For what, I pray thee?" Quatre asked.

"For your broken shin," Noin gave a fake kick at him.

"Why, Noin, art thou mad?" Quatre laughed.

"Not mad, but bound more than a mad-man is, shut up in prison, kept without my food, whipp'd and tormented and," she pauses at the Capulet servant. "God-den, good fellow,"

"God gi' god-den. I pray, sir, can you read?" he asked Noin.

"Ay, mine own fortune in my misery," Noin replied.

"Perhaps you have learned it without book. But, I pray, can you read any thing you see?" the servant asked again.

"Ay, if I know the letters and the language," Noin nodded.

"Ye say honestly. Rest you merry!" he turned to leave.

"Stay, fellow, I can read," Noin laughed. She took the paper the servant was holding.

"'Signior Martino and his wife and daughters, County Anselme and his beauteous sisters, the lady widow of Vitravio, Signior Placentio and his lovely nieces, Duo and his brother Valentine, mine uncle Capulet, his wife and daughters, my fair niece Rosaline, Livia, Signior Valentio and his cousin Zechs, Lucio and the lively Helena.'" Noin paused. "A fair assembly. Whither should they come?"

"Up," came the short reply.

"Whither?" Noin pressed.

"To supper, to our house,"

"Whose house?"

"My master's,"

"Indeed, I should have ask'd you that before," Noin muttered, exasperated.

"Now I'll tell you without asking," the servant said, sensing Noin's anger. "My master is the great rich Capulet, and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray, come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry!" The servant hurried off to find the people invited.

"At this same ancient feast of Capulet's sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so lovest, with all the admired beauties of Verona. Go thither; and, with unattainted eye, compare her face with some that I shall show, and I will make thee think thy swan a crow," Quatre suggested.

"When the devout religion of mine eye maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fires, and these, who often drown'd could never die, transparent heretics, be burnt for liars! One fairer than my love! The all-seeing sun ne'er saw her match since first the world begun," Noin argued.

"Tut, you saw her fair, none else being by, herself poised with herself in either eye," Quatre retorted.  
"But in that crystal scales let there be weigh'd your lady's love against some other maid that I will show you shining at this feast, and she shall scant show well that now shows best,"

Noin sighed heavily, accepting Quatre's well-meaning advise.

"I'll go along, no such sight to be shown, but to rejoice in splendor of mine own,"

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Author's Notes

Well, how's that for Act 1 Scene 2? I'm thinking of making a second version for each chapter so you won't have to read the Shakespearian, but without any notes it might be a little hard. I'll try my best. Cheers for reading.

Copyright Leonharte © 2004


	4. Act 1 Scene 3

ACT 1 SCENE 3

Dorothy and Sally are in Relena's chambers.

"Sally, where's my daughter? Call her forth to me," Dorothy muttered impatiently.

"Now, by my maidenhead, at twelve year old, I bade her come. What, lamb! what, ladybird! God forbid! Where's this girl? What, Relena!" Sally called.

Relena entered the room.

"How now! Who calls?"

"Your mother," Sally told her.

"Madam, I am here. What is your will?" Relena bowed slightly.

"This is the matter. Sally, give leave awhile,  
We must talk in secret," Sally got up to leave the room. "Sally, come back again, I have remember'd me, thou's hear our counsel. Thou know'st my daughter's of a pretty age,"

"Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour," Sally agreed.

"She's not fourteen," Dorothy stated.

"I'll lay fourteen of my teeth,-- If I had fourteen, to say she is not fourteen. How long is it now  
To Lammas-tide?" Sally asked.

"A fortnight and odd days," Dorothy answered.

"Even or odd, of all days in the year, come Lammas-eve at night shall she be fourteen. Susan and she--God rest all Christian souls!-- were of an age. Well, Susan is with God, she was too good for me. But, as I said, on Lammas-eve at night shall she be fourteen, that shall she, marry, I remember it well," Sally continues, not noticing Dorothy and Relena have fallen asleep.  
"'Tis since the earthquake now eleven years, and she was wean'd,--I never shall forget it,-- of all the days of the year, upon that day. For I had then laid wormwood to my dug, sitting in the sun under the dove-house wall, my lord and you were then at Mantua-- Nay, I do bear a brain,--but, as I said, when it did taste the wormwood on the nipple of my dug and felt it bitter, pretty fool, to see it tetchy and fall out with the dug! Shake quoth the dove-house. 'Twas no need, I trow, to bid me trudge. And since that time it is eleven years, for then she could stand alone; nay, by the rood, she could have run and waddled all about, For even the day before, she broke her brow.  
And then my husband--God be with his soul! A' was a merry man--took up the child. 'Yea,' quoth he, 'dost thou fall upon thy face? Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit, wilt thou not, Relena?' and, by my holidame, the pretty wretch left crying and said 'Ay.' To see, now, how a jest shall come about! I warrant, an I should live a thousand years, I never should forget it! 'Wilt thou not, Relena?' quoth he, and, pretty fool, it stinted and said 'Ay...." Sally stopped, realising Une and Relena were asleep. She shook them both awake.

"Enough of this, I pray thee, hold thy peace," Une shook her head, trying to remember what she was talking about.

"Yes, madam," Sally said, apologizing to the stern Lady. "Yet I cannot choose but laugh,  
To think it should leave crying and say 'Ay,' and yet, I warrant, it had upon its brow a bump as big as a young cockerel's stone, a parlous knock, and it cried bitterly. 'Yea,' quoth my husband,'fall'st upon thy face? Thou wilt fall backward when thou comest to age, Wilt thou not, Relena?' it stinted and said 'Ay.'

"And stint thou too, I pray thee, Sally, say I," Dorothy said.

"Peace, I have done. Thou wast the prettiest babe that e'er I nursed, an I might live to see thee married once, I have my wish.

"Marry, that 'marry' is the very theme I came to talk of. Tell me, daughter Relena, How stands your disposition to be married?" Dorothy asked. Relena froze. Married? She hadn't though of it. Choosing her words carefully, she replied, "It is an honour that I dream not of,"

"An honour! were not I thine only nurse, I would say thou hadst suck'd wisdom from thy teat," Sally laughed.

"Well, think of marriage now, for thus then in brief, the valiant Heero seeks you for his love," Dorothy informed her.

"A man, young lady! Lady, such a man as all the world--why, he's a man of wax," Sally said, dreaming of the Perfect Soldier.

"Verona's summer hath not such a flower," Dorothy said, also paying compliments.

"Nay, he's a flower, in faith, a very flower," Sally agreed.

"What say you? Can you love the gentleman? This night you shall behold him at our feast, take his measure, examine him closely. To finish him only needs a cover. Read his volumes then answer me. For so shall you share all that he doth possess, by having him, making yourself no less," Dorothy instructed her.

"No less! Nay, bigger, women grow by men," Sally laughed.

"Speak briefly, can you like of Heero's love?" Dorothy asked.

"I'll look to like, if looking liking move. But no more deep will I endart mine eye than your consent gives strength to make it fly," Relena replied, feeling sick. She was only thirteen, and hadn't thought of marriage. Though, Heero was a valiant man, the Perfect Soldier called by some for his skill in a Gundam. A servant entered the room, disrupting her thoughts.

"Madam, the guests are come, supper served up, you called, my young lady asked for, the nurse cursed in the pantry, and every thing in extremity. I must hence to wait, I beseech you, follow straight," he managed to gasp out, before running out again.

"We follow thee," Dorothy stood, business-like. The servant left. "Relena, the county stays,"

"Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days," Sally said, also standing to prepare Relena for the party.

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Author's Notes

After a comment was made to me, I changed the first two scenes a bit, and added a bit of personality to the script. I try my best to make Shakespeare my own, while still keeping in place most original jokes and poetry that kept Romeo and Juliet flowing.

Copyright Leonharte © 2004


	5. Act 1 Scene 4

ACT 1 SCENE 4 

The Montagues are costumed in a street. Noin, Duo and Quatre are in the lead to crash the Capulet party.

"What excuse do you have ready, or shall we one without?" Noin asked her companions, dressed in a prince's armour and cape, a sword at her side.

"Hie, we'll hide not. Let us measure them 'fore the take measure of us and we be gone," Quatre answered. He pushed the feather from his cap out of his eyes for the hundredth time, trying not to trip over his robes.

"Give me a torch. I'm not for this party," Noin turned, ready to go.

"Nay, gentle Noin, we must have you dance," Duo butted in. Bells on his joker's hat rang out as he roughly grabbed Noin and hauled her forward.

"Not I, believe me. You may dance, with nimble feet, but I have a soul of lead, and cannot move for want of moving," Noin replied.

"You are a lover!" Duo exclaimed, taking new-found knowledge to his advantage. "Borrow Cupid's wings, and soar with them above a common bound!"

"I am too sore enpierced with his shaft, and so cannot soar above but sink with it," Noin said, trying to turn away again.

"And, to sink in it, should you burden love. Too great oppression for a tender thing," Duo tried to persuade her to come.

"Is love a tender thing? It is too rough,

Too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn," Noin barked out a short laugh.

"If love be rough with you, be rough with love, a prick for a prick!

A visor for a visor, here be my beetle brows," he slipped on a mask to hide his fair features.

"Come, knock and enter, and no sooner in," Quatre said gently. But every man, or woman, betake him, or her, to his, or her, legs," he finished his speech and realised how silly it sounded.

"A torch for me! I away, this is not for me," Noin grabbed a torch and began to walk away.

"Tut, dun's the mouse, the constable's own word," Duo cried, grabbing another torch and jumping in front of Noin.

"If thou art dun, we'll draw thee from the mire of this sir-reverence love, wherein thou stick'st up to the ears. Come, burn as day, ho!" he waved the torch as a blade.

"Nay, that's not so," Noin said.

"I mean, sir," Duo mocked, "In delay. We waste our lights in vain, like lamps by day.

Take our good meaning, for our judgment sits five times in that ere once in our five wits,"

"And we mean well in going to this mask, but 'tis no wit to go," Noin pushed past Duo, but again he jumped in front, twirling his torch. He swung it horizontaly at Noin, who blocked it and swept her own torch down at him. They began to mock fight, with Quatre's pitiful cries of 'stop, hold, no!'

"Why, may one ask?"

"I dream'd a dream to-night,"

Duo laughed, "and so did I,"

"Well, what was yours?"

"That dreamers," he smirked, parried, and flipped over Noin's head, turning with a flourish, "often lie,"

"In bed asleep, while they do dream things true," Noin protested.

"O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you," Duo snickered.

"She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes in shape no bigger than an agate-stone on the fore-finger of an alderman, drawn with a team of little atomies athwart men's noses as they lie asleep," Noin sent a set a flying cuts to Duo, who blocked each one and answered.

"Her wagon-spokes made of long spiders' legs, the cover of the wings of grasshoppers, the traces of the smallest spider's web, the collars of the moonshine's watery beams, her whip of cricket's bone, the lash of film, her wagoner a small grey-coated gnat, not so big as a round little worm prick'd from the lazy finger of a maid, her chariot is an empty hazel-nut made by the joiner a squirrel or old grub, time out o' mind the fairies' coachmakers," Noin almost laughed at this description Duo was taunting her with, and almost missing blocking a blow from, Duo, who continued.

"And in this state she gallops night by night through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love, o'er courtiers' knees, that dream on court'sies straight, o'er lawyers' fingers, who straight dream on fees, o'er ladies ' lips, who straight on kisses dream, which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues, because their breaths with sweetmeats tainted are. Sometime she gallops o'er a courtier's nose, and then dreams he of smelling out a suit, and sometime comes she with a tithe-pig's tail tickling a parson's nose as a' lies asleep, then dreams, he of another benefice," Duo paused for breath, taking a defensive stance to catch his breath.

"Sometime she driveth o'er a soldier's neck, and then dreams he of cutting foreign throats, of breaches, ambuscadoes, Spanish blades, of healths five-fathom deep, and then anon! Drums in his ear, at which he starts and wakes, and being thus frighted swears a prayer or two," at this he picked up his cross around his neck and kissed it.

"And sleeps again. This is that very Mab that plats the manes of horses in the night, and bakes the elflocks in foul sluttish hairs, which once untangled, much misfortune bodes. This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs, that presses them and learns them first to bear, making them women of good carriage!

This is she--!"

"Peace, peace, Duo, peace! Thou talk'st of nothing," Noin stopped, laughing.

"True, I talk of dreams, which are the children of an idle brain, begot of nothing but vain fantasy, which is as thin of substance as the air and more inconstant than the wind, who wooes even now the frozen bosom of the north, and, being anger'd, puffs away from thence, turning his face to the dew-dropping south," Duo answered her, throwing his torch to Quatre who caught it.

"This wind, you talk of, blows us from ourselves," Quatre said with a smile. Supper is done, and we shall come too late,"

The Montagues, with Duo singing in the lead, walked on. Looking into the torch flame, Noin said in a whisper, "I fear, too early, for my mind misgives some consequence yet hanging in the stars shall bitterly begin his fearful date with this night's revels and expire the term of a despised life closed in my breast by some vile forfeit of untimely death. But He, that hath the steerage of my course," she raised her voice so as to be heard by the Montagues, "Direct my sail! On, lusty gentlemen!"

"Strike, drum!" Quatre cried to the night.

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Author's Notes

I finally got to use Duo. He fits Mercutio's description perfectly, his personality is a direct match. His speech on dreams is long and boring to read, so I decided to intersperse it with his and Noin's torch duel. The torches in question are perhaps a meter long, with an oiled bowl-like contraption for the flame. That's how I see them anyway.

One of my favourite scenes next, I hope to make it the best I can.

Copyright Leonharte © 2004


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